A future as a general medical

practitioner in Denmark
Three general medical practitioners in Southern Denmark

regionsyddanmark.dk
Maj 2016
General medical practice recruitment Basic principles and facts

Our recruitment team is available for dis-
cussions and any questions you may have,
and Gitte Kristensen will be your contact
person throughout the process. After 14
months’ employment, Gitte will continue as
your sparring partner and help you contact
general medical practices in view of finding
employment.
Contact details for the
recruitment team
Project Manager Gitte Kristensen
+45 7663 1439
gittek@rsyd.dk
Secretary Marianne Blom Petersen
+45 7663 1391
mbp@rsyd.dk
Recruitment Consultant
Charlotte Godsk Hansen
c.godsk@post.tele.dk
Basic principles of the health care
system in Denmark
• All residents in Denmark have equal
access to publicly financed health care
services, regardless of employment and
financial and social status
• Health is a public responsibility – most
services are financed, planned and opera-
ted by the Regions
• The financing of health care services
derives mainly from taxation
• The system is characterised by decen-
tralisation of responsibility to politically
elected councils
Facts
• Norm: 1,600 patients per GP
• Region of Southern Denmark
• 788 GPs
• 383 GP practices/clinics
• 90% of the population have at least
1 contact with a GP within a year
• 7 contacts per citizen, 6.5 – daytime,
0.5 outside daytime

GP – main facts in short

• Own private medical practice/clinic (solo
practice, partnership practice, collabora-
tive practice or sharing practices)
• Monitored by the Region and the GPs in
cooperation
• Family doctor
• Gatekeeper
• No co-payment
• Number and distribution of GPs according
to a plan
• Financing the GPs: 75% fee for service,
25% capitation payment
• Average income for a Danish GP:
Practice/clinic turnover approx. DKK 1.7
million. Net turnover = DKK 0.8- 1.0
million before tax.

2 3

Christiane and Jürgen
Why Denmark?
Christiane (47) and Jürgen (48) Genzwürker
are general medical practitioners. In 2012
they moved with their three children Teresa
(8), Franziska (10) and Moritz (13) from
South Germany to South Denmark. They
tell how this came about:
Why Denmark?
To begin with, the most important reason
for us was the feeling that general practitio­
ners are valued and welcomed in Denmark.
Here we would be able to work without the
relentless competitive pressure which we
faced as general practitioners back in
Germany.
In mid 2011, we read an advertisement from
the Region of Southern Denmark in the
German medical journal. They were looking
for general practitioners for Danish medi­
cal practices. At that time we felt like we
were in a dead end job back home.
We were both in our mid forties and had
been working in our own medical practice
for eleven years, but the work made less
and less sense as the years went by. In ad-
dition to the overwhelming bureaucracy,
we were particularly bothered by the gene­
ral lack of respect for the work as a general
practitioner, which in Germany is regarded
as second rate compared with highly tech-
nical specialised medicine.
We were fully aware that an improvement
could not be expected in the German medi­
cal system within the next ten years.
4 5
The individual groups of doctors and health
insurance companies were too caught up
in their disputes. But what could we do?
Who in the world is good at Danish?
The magical word emigration kept coming
up in conversations with equally frustrated
colleagues.
Of course, we first thought of a German or
English-speaking country. General practi-
tioners can work almost anywhere. When
we had a look at house prices and costs
of living in Switzerland or the education
system in Great Britain, we quickly came to
a sobering conclusion: with three children
at primary school age, life is not easy in
either of these countries.
Occasionally we had read newspaper arti-
cles about Scandinavian countries. What
most struck us were terms such as ‘work-
life balance’, ‘common sense’ and ‘child-­
friendly’. That sounded really good, but
what good was that to us in South
Germany?
Sweden – to us that meant IKEA. Norway:
lonely fjords. Finland: winner in the Pisa
survey. And Denmark? We did not even
have any preconceived ideas about this
country.
And what about the language barrier? You
cannot work as a doctor without speaking
the local language. And how would our
children cope at school?
We will help you!
And then we saw this advert from Denmark
in the medical journal: free three-month in-
tensive language course with a full doctor’s
salary from day one. Afterwards just under
a year of training at a Danish medical tutor
practice with a chance to get to know the
health system. In addition, more language
lessons during working hours.
Everything without obligation or debt – you
could give notice any month and go back
home if you did not like it. They didn’t do
things in half measures.
Now or never! We decided to fly to Denmark
for an introductory weekend and have a
look.
Everyone was there!
The Danes are good at organising. They
had spared no effort to make us feel at
home and enable us to immediately speak
to all the people we were interested in
meeting: The regional ‘sponsor’ who would
be paying our salary. The employee at the
job centre, who would help with paper work,
specialist approval, car registration, etc.
The language teacher. The owner of the
tutor practice. The person responsible for
further education, who was to make sure
Christiane and Jürgen
we quickly acquired any additional skills we
needed (e.g. pregnancy check-ups, which
German GPs do not do).
Everyone addressed each other informally.
Everyone was friendly and the atmosphere
was incredibly relaxed. The food was deli­
cious. We learned our first Danish word:
hyggelig.
We had made a decision: we would sell our
practice in Germany, let out our house and
give it a try. At the beginning of 2012 we
moved to Denmark.
Don’t speak English!
First it was the three-month language
course. A small group with two to four doc-
tors from different countries. It was Danish
from morning to night. With the teacher;
with each other or interactively at the com-
puter. No swotting of vocabulary. Just go
ahead and speak! We laughed a lot – and
swore a lot. And no English please! Here
we only speak Danish!
After a couple of weeks the feeling of
relief: it works! You can still learn another
language, even if you are over 40. Danish
patients are helpful and patient when you
initially have problems with the Danish
language.
Christiane and Jürgen
Then you only see two patients per hour.
After just under a year, we were capable of
working in a practice.
Kids quarrel in all languages
Our children (8, 10 and 13 years old)
learned Danish even faster.
We live in Esbjerg, where all three children
go to the international school. Subjects are
taught in English, and at the same time
they receive intensive Danish language
instruction. In addition, they also have
lessons in German or Spanish. After com-
pleting primary and lower secondary
school, the children can choose between
a Danish and an international upper secon­
dary school.
At the recreation centre or during after
school care they soon came into contact
with Danish children. Sometimes we can
barely hear a difference when our children
talk to the neighbour’s children, and we are
even pleased at times to hear them argu-
ing in Danish.
Self-employed once again
After 14 months of employment as a gene­
ral practitioner, we started looking for our
6 7
own practice with two things in mind: first
of all, we would like to work together in
the same practice as a couple, as we had
previously done in Germany. Secondly, we
had many years of experience with having
our own practice, but we were not yet con-
fident enough to run a practice in Denmark
on our own. We therefore wanted to share
a practice with an experienced Danish col-
league who for some time could continue
to ‘take us by the hand’.
With the help of the Region of Southern
Denmark, we found both in Varde, approxi­
mately 15 km from Esbjerg. We quickly
came to an agreement with our senior
colleague and in August 2013 bought into
his practice.
We are very happy with this decision and
hope that our senior partner will continue
to work a couple of days a week with us
after his planned retirement next year, like
many elderly doctors in Denmark do.
Work and life
Every now and then when we look back
at our working conditions in Germany, we
regret that we did not come to Denmark
much earlier.
Here people do not expect a general prac-
titioner to work day and night and take on
additional work over the weekend.
Patients are seen at the general practice
between 8.00 and 16.00. After that time
and over the weekend a doctor is on call
whom the patients can phone in an emer-
gency, when their own doctor has closed.
It is generally accepted that also a general
practitioner is entitled to family life and
spare time. Danish patients are used to
keeping appointments, which makes it
easier to structure the workflow at the
practice.
There is no medical insurance here. The
bills for the medical services provided are
not sent to the patients but directly to the
relevant region, which pays promptly and
reliably.
In Denmark, the hierarchies are very flat,
both in general practices and at hospitals.
Nurses independently look after a great
deal of the patients. In the breaks they all
sit together and eat and talk.
Christiane and Jürgen
The West Coast
‘Our’ beaches and sand dunes are fantastic
even when we have to share them with
countless tourists each year from Easter
onwards. Up here, there is room for every-
one.
We have always wanted to live by the sea.
We do that now, and every day we rejoice
in this luxury. For example eating oysters
we have collected ourselves. Fishing. The
children can go horseback riding. In the
summer we swim in the sea almost every
day. Often, the wind is westerly. Real wind!
You have to dress properly for that.
It is easy to get away from Esbjerg. It takes
three hours by car or train to get to Copen-
hagen. Only 45 minutes to Billund interna-
tional airport. Overnight ferry to England.
But we are not the least bit interested in
leaving permanently.
A music venue, cinema, pubs and a large
aquatic centre can also be found here. And
museums. And a shopping centre. We like
the openness and space. And the friendly
people.
We have arrived in Denmark.
Esbjerg Municipality
Assistance from Newcomer Service
There are many big decisions to make when
thinking of buying into a medical practice.
Esbjerg Municipality’s Newcomer Service is
therefore available to assist you with the
many practical issues involved in moving.
As Denmark’s energy headquaters, the
staff is used to helping many new residents
to find their feet, and you are always wel-
come to contact them for help with issues
such as:
• finding a job for your partner
• obtaining a general idea of the housing
market
• obtaining information about day care,
schools and education
• identifying the best leisure/cultural
activities
• building professional and social networks
8 9
Contact
Newcomer Service
Residential Coordinator Pia Enemark
Esbjerg Municipality
Torvegade 74
DK-6700 Esbjerg
Phone: +45 2047 3206
E-mail: tilflytter@esbjergkommune.dk
Time for the family – advantages
of a life as a general practitioner in
Esbjerg Municipality
It is important to have time and energy
for life at the end of the working day, and
for families with children, in parti­cular,
flexible working hours are very important.
It is therefore worth noting that general
practitioners in Esbjerg Municipality are
met with considerable goodwill when they
approach the Samarbejdsudvalg (consul-
tation committee) for permission to share
their practice.
Fanø Municipality
Fanø is a small island with 3200 inhabitants.
The island of Fanø has a lot to offer. It is a Contact
safe and vibrant small community with a Newcomer Service
strong presence of culture and history, Residential Coordinator
and a unique nature. From Fanø you reach Jacob Kristian Bay
Denmark’s fifth largest city Esbjerg by Fanø Municipality
ferry in just 12 minutes. Skolevej 5-7
DK-6720 Fanø
On Fanø you can, first and foremost, find Phone: +45 7666 0645
peace and tranquility in a beautiful setting. E-mail: bgsejb@fanoe.dk
The island, thus, has a very special relaxing
atmosphere that fit both families with
children, bonvivants and people who seek You are always welcome to contact them
great experiences in the nature. for help with issues such as:
• finding a job for your partner
The island has a school, shopping facilities, • obtaining a general idea of the housing
restaurants, a cinema and lots of concerts market
and festivals. • obtaining information about day care,
schools and education
Fanø Municipality’s Newcomer Services is • identifying the best leisure/cultural
available to assist you with the many prac- activities
tical issues involved in moving. • building professional and social networks.
Partnership practice

Lægehuset Fanø

Fanø is the northernmost island in the
Wadden Sea and part of the Wadden Sea
National Park, which is on the UNESCO
World Heritage list.
Fanø is an island with a long-standing
shipping tradition. It is also Denmark‘s
second smallest municipality. The island’s
beautiful scenery includes a bathing beach,
the North Sea to the west and the Wadden
Sea to the East. The towns of Nordby and
Sønderho with their attractive old houses
are extremely picturesque. Every year,
around one million tourists visit the island,
which offers all the usual modern conveni-
ences.
The medical centre is new and modern.
We are a non-hierarchical organisation with
a focus on development, where profession-
alism, influence and social support take
pride of place.
We have many years’ experience and are
good at training doctors and nurses. We
also offer a positive, sociable work environ-
ment.
You can look forward to experiencing a
high level of professionalism and social
involvement.
We look forward to meeting you.

The medical centre is located in Nordby,
two minutes’ walk from the ferry. It takes
12 minutes to reach the island by ferry
from Esbjerg. The ferry departs two to
three times per hour.
You can read more about Fanø on the
website htpp://visitfanoe.dk
Read more about the medical centre on
www.lægehusetfanø.dk

CONTACT:
Lægehuset Fanø
Vestervejen 1C
DK-6720 Fanø

Phone: +45 7516 3222

E-mail: laegehuset@fanoelaeger.dk
10

Varde Municipality
As a Residential Coordinator I will be
able to assist you, if you are interested in
moving to Varde Municipality. I can assist
you in the process of finding a residence,
finding a job for your partner, and make
contacts to childcare and school facilities.
I arrange contact to homeowners who want
to rent out their house or to local housing
associations regarding apartment rentals.
In addition, I also offer you a guided tour so
you will be able to view the home rentals.
The tour will be organized in cooperation
with you, and will be based on your desire
for residence, interests and family needs.
Feel free to call or write me, so we can plan
an inspirational guided tour that fits you
and your family’s needs and interests.
12
Contact
Newcomer Service
Residential Coordinator Dorthe Lund
Varde Municipality
Bytoften 2
DK-6800 Varde
Phone: +45 7994 6183
E-mail: dolu@varde.dk
No matter where you choose to settle
in Varde Municipality, I will assist you in
assigning an English speaking mentor
family who can help answering the ques-
tions you may have about daily life in
Varde Municipality, furthermore they will
introduce you and your family to the local
community and to the cultural and spare
time activities that are offered in Varde
Municipality.
Partnership practice
Jacobi Lægerne in Varde
Jacobilægerne are based in Varde in a new Varde is a great place to bring up a family.
and attractive medical centre boasting six There are plenty of things to do here on
consulting rooms for doctors and six for the western edge of Denmark. Unspoilt
nurses as well as a large laboratory. nature is right on your doorstep, and Varde
hosts plenty of events and cultural activi-
We are currently five doctors caring for ties in addition to having a large number of
approximately 10,000 patients with an active associations and plenty of options
average spread. We employ five nurses, for pursuing sport and other leisure activ-
three secretaries and two bioanalysts in ities.
addition to two cleaners and a caretaker.
Our values are based on providing a high
degree of professionalism with an empha-
sis on education and ongoing professional
training as well as clear, detailed instruc-
tions. It is also important to us to provide
good working conditions for everyone.
CONTACT:
Jacobi Lægerne
Kenneth Damgaard
Ringkøbingvej 38
DK-6800 Varde
Phone: +45 7522 3400
E-mail: kda@jacobilaegerne.dk
13

Ærø Municipality
No matter what direction you come from
when arriving at Ærø, you will discover
the island’s unique charm long before the
ferry docks at the quay. The island has an
undulating landscape with enough hills to
challenge any cyclist and rewards the visi-
tor with spectacular views from the top of
every hill, from where you can see a varied
coastline alternating between child-friend-
ly beaches, sand dunes and tall cliffs
dropping vertically into the sea. You find
friendly towns varying between the busy
Marstal with its lively harbour life, romantic
Ærøskøbing, which takes you back a cen-
tury, and charming Søby with the island’s
largest employer, the shipyard Søby Værft.
Ærø bears traces of both its fascinating
maritime history, as described in Carsten
Jensen’s great saga “We, the drowned”,
and the reign of the German dukes. Both
have contributed to the island’s breadth of
view and vision along with a unique toler-
ance towards everything and everyone.
14
During summer, the island teams with
holidaymakers from far and wide and
offers a cornucopia of activities. During
winter, on the other hand, the island is a
peaceful place, where you can recharge
your batteries and rediscover your peace
of mind; where you have time to be human
and enjoy the harmony the island offers.
However, even during quiet times the
island is far from devoid of life. Ærø has
more than 150 different associations and
a rich artistic and cultural life with music
that ranges from the Royal opera and clas-
sic concerts at Søbygaard Manor to jazz
and accordion.
In terms of shopping, the island covers
most needs with large supermarkets and a
wealth of specialty shops.
Partnership practice
Lægehuset Skærbæk
Ærø is a safe place to bring up a family.
We have excellent day-care facilities, and
every child is guaranteed a place. We have
a municipal school in Marstal and a private
independent school in Ærøskøbing; we
have a swimming pool and many sports
facilities across the island as well as fitness
centres in several locations.
On Ærø you are safe around the clock, all
year round. Crime is almost unknown; in
fact, statistically Ærø is the most peaceful
municipality in the whole of Denmark.
Accommodation is easy to find. Just tell us
what you want, and we will find it. Perhaps
a small fisherman’s cottage in a narrow
alleyway in Marstal? Or a house with vast
vistas of the Baltic? What about a farm-
house with several hectares of land so you
can fulfil your dream of keeping horses,
goats and chickens? Tell us what you want,
and we will find it for you – at a price that
will make your heart sing!
Ærø Municipality
Contact
Carl Jørgen Heide
Ærø Municipality
Ærøskøbing Havn 4
DK-5970 Ærøskøbing
Phone: +45 6252 1300
E-mail: cjh@arre.dk
Ærø has its own housing consultant, who
will help you settle in to your new life on
the island. Simply write to post@arre.dk,
and you will be well on your way to a life on
one of Denmark’s most attractive islands.
Our housing consultant can also help your
spouse with information about vacant jobs
on the island.
If our guest house is available, you can stay
there for up to four months while taking
your time to find the right place to settle.
We look forward to welcoming you to the
island.
15
Solo practice
Hans Bertelsen
General Practitioner Hans Bertelsen,
Ærøskøbing
I am a general practitioner with many years’
experience. I look forward to tutoring you
and assisting you with your professional
retraining to become a Danish general
practitioner.
I am 63 years old and for many years had a
practice in Fredericia. In 2014, I decided to
settle on Ærø.
My practice is located in Ærøskøbing, where
I have rented a couple of large, bright and
sunny rooms on the first floor of the hospi-
tal. The entire floor has been converted to
a medical centre with plenty of space for
three doctors, doctors under training, a
nurse and auxiliary staff.
Currently, the floor accommodates two
general practitioners (in two practices) and
a temporary practice run by the region.
It is extremely convenient to be located
so close to the hospital. Our patients can
quickly be seen to/diagnosed at the hospi-
tal on the ground floor if the need arises.
CONTACT:
Hans Bertelsen
Sygehusvejen 18, 1. sal
DK-5970 Ærøskøbing
Phone: +45 6252 11 77
E-mail: hans.bertelsen@dadlnet.dk
16
The Region of Southern Denmark
I work from 8.00 to 14.00 all weekdays. The Location of the 3 tutor practices
phones close at 14.00 Monday to Thursday
and at 13.00 on Friday, whereupon calls will
be redirected to whichever doctor is on
duty on the island at the time. The island’s
six general practitioners take turns to be
on duty until the following morning at
08.00. The shifts are normally quiet with- Varde
out much work: perhaps 4–5 phone calls,
3–4 consultations and one visit, if any. We
generally get a good night’s sleep and are
able to work full time the following day.
In my view, Ærø has a lot to offer, but it is Fanø
also possible to live on Funen and work on
Ærø. House prices here are low. Personally,
I have bought a second house on Ærø,
where I live when the weather is bad and
when I am on duty. Buying a house here is
no more expensive than renting one.
I live in Dyreborg, a small coastal village on
Funen between the Little Belt and Faaborg
Fjord. When weather permits, I commute to
Ærø
Ærø with a fast motorboat. I arrive in Søby,
from where I drive my own car to the clinic
in Ærøskøbing. My commute to the clinic is
less than one hour.
17
Xxxxxx
FACTS – Recruitment of foreign physicians
We will help you make an easier start in
Denmark.
In cooperation with WorkInDenmark and
the municipality, we offer you:
• Assistance with getting a work permit, a
residence permit, a licence, etc.
• Assistance within finding a place to live
• Assistance with establishing contact to
public institutions, schools, banks, insu­
rance companies, professional associa­
tions, etc.
• Language classes for your spouse/part-
ner and children of a certain age
• Assistance with job search for your
spouse/partner, if required.
The employment
The position is a 14-month evaluation/
introduction residency with a working week
of 37 hours.
The gross salary is DKK 46,191.20 per
month (before tax). As set out in the collec-
tive agreement, you qualify for 16.49%
pension, one third of which is your own con-
tribution from your salary. The other two
thirds are contributed by your employer.
On the salary, 12.95% holiday allowance is
earned that can be paid out to you later.
Your salary will be paid into a so-called
NEM-account. A NEM account is a regular
bank account – an account you already
have and which is used by public authori-
ties as the account to which your salary
is transferred.
18
Your pay slip will be delivered to the
so-called e-box system. With e-box, you
have a secure, electronic letter box where
you can receive and store the documents
you would otherwise receive by regular
mail.
Criminal record
You must be able to present a satisfactory
criminal record.
Training plan
When you start in the GP practice, your
practice tutor will work with you to prepare
a training plan for your evaluation/intro-
duction residency based on your back-
ground and qualifications in light of the
objectives described/competences required
for general practice.
Courses
If your practice tutor and you find that you
need a specific course, e.g. in gynaecology,
please ask Gitte Kristensen, gittek@rsyd.dk
for approval. If your course participation is
approved, Recruitment General Practice
will pay for the course. You will still receive
your salary, while you have time off to par-
ticipate in such a course.
If your practice tutor finds that you need
a focused period, e.g. in the gynaecology
department of the South-West Jutland
Hospital (Sydvestjysk Sygehus), you and
your practice tutor will plan this period and
contact the hospital to see if and when this
will be possible.
Your practice tutor will instruct and evaluate
you on an ongoing basis. You will be expec­
ted to review the objectives described and
the competences required for the general
practice main training programme together
with your practice tutor.
Holidays
If you have not earned the right to paid
holidays in 2015, the Danish holiday rules
specify that you will only be entitled to two
weeks holiday without pay until 30 April
2017. Holidays are to be held following
agreement with your practice tutor.
From 1 May 2017 until the expiry of your
employment period:
If you are engaged with effect from 1 Sep-
tember 2016, you have earned the right to
8 days paid holiday in the period until the
expiry of your employment period.
Holidays are to be agreed with the practice.
If, during the period, you take more than
8 days holiday, any extra days will be
deducted from your salary.
It is recommended that you and your prac-
tice tutor plan your holidays quite soon
after you have started your work here.
ALL holidays must be reported to Gitte
Kristensen via gittek@rsyd.dk
FACTS
Illness
If you are taken ill, you will receive your
salary in accordance with the rules speci­
fied in Section 5 of the Danish Salaried
Employees’ Act.
Absenteeism
All absenteeism must be reported imme­
diately to the practice and to Gitte
Kristensen via gittek@rsyd.dk
Termination
Your evaluation/introduction residency
may be terminated by the Region of
Southern Denmark if you do not satisfac-
torily complete the training plan or you do
not acquire the necessary professional and
linguistic competences.
You must be able to document satisfactory
progression in relation to the acquisition of
competences, cf. the training plan, and you
must pass the language tests.
The Region of Southern Denmark may ter-
minate your employment by three months’
notice.
If you wish to terminate your employment,
you may do so by giving one month’s no-
tice to take effect at the end of a month.
19
Region of Southern Denmark
Damhaven 12 . DK-7100 Vejle
Tel. +45 7663 1000

www.regionsyddanmark.dk/wm400664 14371 - Grafisk Service, Region Syddanmark - 05.2016

POST GRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINING – GENERAL PRACTICE

University
6 years

▼
Basic-education (KBU)
1 year (6 + 6 month)

Combinations:

Medicine-general practice Medicine-psychiatry

Medicine-surgery General practice-surgery
Medicine-oncology General practice-urology

▼
Permission to work independently by the Danish Patient Safety Authority
▼
Introduction to general medical practice/general medicine (GP)
6 or 12 month

▼
Specialist training as a GP = 4,5 years

PHASE 1 PHASE 2
General practice 6 month General practice 6 month
(same place as Phase 1)
Hospital training
Medicine, Gynaecology/obstetrics PHASE 3
Surgery, Paediatrics, Psychiatry General practice 12 month
Totally 2,5 years

▼
Authorization as a specialist in general medicine /
GP by the Danish Patient Safety Authority